Patterns

Last week I played with a Fjord named Sonja

Sorry for the missed blog post last week but I was off at clinics and intensives. I had a lot of fun with new people and their horses. As usual, my 4 legged assistants were outstanding!

This week I wanted to talk about Patterns. Not the patterns we use to train with. But the patterns of behavior we have and aren't aware of. Why is this important? Because our horses are 100% aware of our patterns and adapt to them for good or bad. In other words our horses can train us without us even knowing it.

Often when I go to work with a horse and person, The first thing I look at is the person's patterns. I look at their energy, their body language, and their rhythm. I then look at their horses reactions to their patterns. I need to get a base line of what is working and not working in the relationship by what patterns are set between the horse and person. We can get into this cycle with our horses without even knowing how we got to them. Horses are so observant of our energy and habits, they know us better then we know ourselves sometimes.

Horses can get into a set behavior pattern because of our patterns. A great example of this is when a school horse learns to adapt to different riders and handlers. With one rider he will perform nicely and with another one he will be quite difficult. Horses that are handled by different people are masters of sizing us up quickly.

One of the things I learn when I teach Liberty classes is that I can watch several people perform the same exercises and see the patterns of their energy without judgement. I can quickly pick up on where they are most likely stuck with their own horses by watching them work with a different horse.

Sometimes people don't understand or see the value in why they would take a Liberty class with a horse nobody has worked with before and not your own horse. I have several reasons.

1. When we work with a strange horse we have no expectations because he is not our own.
2. We learn what the proper "neutral" non needy mindset is for our own horses by working with a strange horse.
3. We have no preexisting patterns with this horse so we have a "clean slate" relationship.
4. We can see how you can build connection with any horse from scratch.
5. You can learn with real time, real life reactions.
6. You can simulate herd dynamic and integration with several other "human" herd members and the participating horse.
7. We can learn by watching other peoples patterns.

I have an awareness exercise for you to try. Next time you go to your horse, pay really close attention to your daily patterns or rituals. Notice the positive ones and the ones that actually may be promoting a behavior you don't care for. If you are happy with all your habits, good for you! Think about your dog if you own one. All our dogs know when are going out the door and when it's for a walk or a trip.

I have a story from my younger days when I was little and I had my Saddlebred. I was just learning and I didn't have much experience with horses, Just a fierce love and desire and boundless courage. I got this horse with my instructor and set about working with him. I used to lunge him because he was very energetic. I used to do the same pattern every time. Walk, then trot, then canter. Day after day. I did not know to do anything else at the time. One day my instructor came out and said "why don't you change up you lunging routine a bit" so eager to learn, I tried doing things in a different order. My horse went nuts! He was so used to my routine it actually upset him when I changed it. I had know idea how much of a stuck pattern we were in. My instructor however, had been thankfully keeping an eye on me.

Now a days, This is not a problem so much for me, but I do like to work with a coach so that there are fresh eyes on me and my horses. It took fresh eyes to help me with some things with Mercury that I was not seeing. That is why I always work with someone when I can. Otherwise known as a ground person.

Even if you don't have a more experienced person around to watch you, you can have a friend or family member watch you and ask them if they see and patterns or habits. They can effect your handling and riding without you even knowing. Oats for thought.

Upcoming events:
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!calendar
5/12 FDH 1 day Playshop and Demo at Windhorse International, CT
5/25-26 FDH 2 day clinic in Greenville, NY
6/21-23 FDH UK Clinic at The New Horse, Motcombe, UK

http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/
Sign up for FDH Virtual Clinic here:
http://fdhvirtualclinic.vidmeup.com/

Scenes from Sharing Territory: Part 2

More scenes from Sharing Territory with Mercury and his new herd mates.
See video here http://fdhvirtualclinic.vidmeup.com/view?q=515e475e666a8.flv&playlist=1

Why Liberty?

Mercury is learning spanish walk at Liberty

As someone who has studied virtually all schools of horsemanship, My discovery of Liberty and my Journey since it has become the cornerstone of my training, has been the most fun, the most rewarding and the most effective way I have found to interact with horses.

It is an amazingly simple and powerful way to communicate and train horses. It's  simple as that. When I apply this work largely influenced by Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals, I find a way to connect and communicate with my horses' true nature. I find a path that suits the horse I am working with. I find that at Liberty my horse can give me real feedback about his mind set, his body, and his comprehension of what I request. I can see if I am using too much energy, or not enough. I can see if I am being truly clear in my language.

The horse can tell me which side they favor and then I can set about working with them on equalizing on their terms. Every horse I have worked with has offered me incredible efforts with complete free choice to walk/run away from the request I am asking for.

Here is a common way I would introduce a concept like correct Natural Lunging to a horse at Liberty so they would have no trouble understanding the request with the line on. Most horses find circling on line difficult at first especially in one direction. Some, find it so difficult they will keep switching back to their favored side or even rip the Line right from your hand. This horse is telling you they are having difficulty with circling. I can help my horse learn to read my body language at liberty for direction and then to maintain that direction. Once that happens, They can understand the concept of Lunging on a line. They should also be able to keep their inside eye on me most of the time so that I can help them find the geometry on the figure we are working on. With that, they get the suppleness and gymnastic benefit. Once these Liberty FUN!damentals are consistent, you have the foundation for asking for lateral movements at Liberty and on Line. You also have the foundation for building symmetry and equilibrium in your horse.

Another huge benefit of Liberty, Is allowing horses to explore movement on their own and without the burden of a rider or the interference of a line.  Sometimes a person may use lines unconsciously in place of proper body language and timing. People often don't understand how much more effort it takes for a horse to perform with us on their backs or how even the slightest pull on a line can impact the horse. When you add possibly confusing communication and position and balance issues and you're asking you horse to overcome a lot. Once they understand the exercise on the ground at liberty or at least the concept of the exercise, Then you work on line or in hand and then you ride it. With this approach, You have created a really nice flow for the horse to follow. I posted a blog a couple weeks ago showing the Liberty, line, mounted progression of a figure eight exercise. This is a great example of that.

My favorite reason to train using Liberty is the way it allows me to stay focused on my Connection and Partnership with my horse, It gives me instant feedback on my horses' feelings and it keeps our relationship real and honest.

For those people that think it has no benefit to riding, I solve the majority of mine and my clients training "issues" through Liberty. From Spooking to rearing/bucking. And to those that think it is slow. It is by far the fastest, gentlest way I've seen to solve these issues in any approach. Amazingly so and with no tack or gadgets. All that while keeping a bond and trust with the horse!

Those of you who may need a check up or continued support from afar or if you don't have access to a Trainer in your area that offers this work, consider my Virtual Coaching program. If you would like to try it, You will need a video of you and your horse no more than 15-20 minutes long practicing whatever you would like help with (Liberty, Line, or Mounted any discipline english or western). The easiest way to share video links is to upload them to your Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook or similar account and then share the link with me. Once I have received your video, We will set up a time to review on Skype (regular phone is ok in the US). On that call we will go over your video and I will give you a set of exercises to help your progress and practice for your next video and follow up. It's that easy. Some people have a hard time getting help filming. I recommend getting a tripod and marking an area while looking through the lens. Try then to work within that area using cones or poles etc. to mark you camera's view range. Contact me if you have more questions.

And last but not least, For those of you signed up for FDH Virtual Clinic, The first Q&A call is scheduled for Saturday the 30th of March at 7pm EST US (Hopefully that works for the Down under peeps being Sunday the next day). Please RSVP so I can add you to the Skype Group. See you there!
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!
Sign up for FDH Virtual Clinic here

Beach: part 2

Here is part 2 of my beach adventure with Mercury. Enjoy!
Click here to go to Beach: Part 2 video
http://fdhvirtualclinic.com/view?q=5113155553053.flv&playlist=1

http://fdhvirtualclinic.com/
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/